How long should trekking poles be: hiking, Nordic walking and cross-country

How to calculate trekking pole length

Trekking pole length is a share of your height that depends on the activity: 68% for hiking and Nordic walking, 70% for downhill skiing, 84% for classic cross-country and 89% for skate skiing. These are the factors in the LEKI size guide published by Alpinstore; for Nordic walking, 68% is Decathlon's figure (the LEKI guide goes up to 70%).

At that length, walking on flat ground with the tip beside your foot, your elbow bends at a right angle and your forearm is level: LEKI UK uses this as the check. The elbow test does not apply to cross-country poles, which are much longer.

What you buy depends on the pole type:

• fixed length: sold in 5 cm steps. For hiking and downhill skiing the calculator takes the nearest size (halfway, the longer one, as Black Diamond suggests for hikers); for Nordic walking and cross-country the shorter one, as in Decathlon's example and as Swix recommends;
• adjustable: the length to set on the flat, to the centimeter. For hiking it adds 4 in shorter for climbs and 4 in longer for descents in US units, 10 cm in metric (LEKI UK says 5 to 10 cm): the pole has to cover that whole range.

Even in the US, trekking, Nordic walking and cross-country poles are sold in centimeters (LEKI USA lists them in cm). Downhill ski poles also carry a size in inches, 2 inches for every 5 cm. You can change the factors and the range in the advanced options. The LEKI guide counts your height with shoes on: 1 or 2 cm of sole rarely changes the size.

Worked example: 5' 10", hiking, adjustable poles

These are the values the calculator opens with in US units.

• Length on the flat: 177.8 cm × 0.68 = 120.9 cm, set to 121 cm
• Climbs: 121 - 10.2 (4 in) = 111 cm; descents: 121 + 10.2 = 131 cm
• To buy: adjustable poles covering at least 111-131 cm

A 100-135 cm telescopic pole works. With fixed poles the same hiker gets 120 cm, the size Black Diamond's chart gives at 5' 10". For downhill skiing, 177.8 × 0.70 = 124.5 cm becomes 50" (125 cm).

In the UK, at 1.80 m: 180 × 0.68 = 122.4 cm, so 122 cm on adjustable poles with a 112-132 cm range, or 120 cm fixed.

Trekking pole size chart by height

Fixed poles, walking and downhill skiing:

Height	Hiking	Nordic walking	Downhill
5' 0"	105 cm	100 cm	42" (105 cm)
5' 4"	110 cm	110 cm	46" (115 cm)
5' 8"	115 cm	115 cm	48" (120 cm)
5' 10"	120 cm	120 cm	50" (125 cm)
6' 0"	125 cm	120 cm	52" (130 cm)
6' 4"	130 cm	130 cm	54" (135 cm)

Cross-country poles:

Height	Classic	Skate
5' 0"	125 cm	135 cm
5' 4"	135 cm	140 cm
5' 8"	145 cm	150 cm
5' 10"	145 cm	155 cm
6' 0"	150 cm	160 cm
6' 4"	160 cm	170 cm

Sizes you can buy: fixed and adjustable

Fixed Nordic walking poles usually come in 105 to 125 cm (Decathlon), LEKI cross-country poles in 140 to 170 cm, all in 5 cm steps. For hiking, telescopic poles are more common: LEKI sells the same model in two ranges, such as 90-125 cm and 100-135 cm. Pick the one that covers the whole range on the receipt, not just the flat length.

FIS racing has its own limit: classic poles may not exceed 83% of your height measured in ski boots, from the bottom of the pole to the strap attachment. The same study notes that the length printed on a pole differs by 3 to 4 cm from the one used for that check, so racers should read the rules.

Common mistakes

• Using hiking poles for cross-country skiing. At 68% of your height instead of 84-89% you cannot push properly: the two sports need different lengths.
• Buying a telescopic pole that only just reaches your flat length. On descents you lengthen it by 5 to 10 cm, which is impossible at full extension.
• Rounding Nordic walking poles up. Decathlon and Swix both suggest the shorter size when you are between two.
• Checking the length with a straight arm. The check is on the flat, tip beside your foot, elbow at 90°.
• Forgetting climbs and descents. LEKI UK suggests shorter poles uphill and longer ones downhill, which fixed poles cannot do.